Luxe
Luxe, Kaintuck Luxe, the seat of Albemarle County, is the largest city in Kaintuck, the 3rd-largest in New Cumberland, and the 21st largest in Columbia. Known as "KTHX City", it is the heart of the regions's Aqueduct country. With a mayor-alderman form of government, it is one of two cities in Kaintuck designated by the state as first-class; the other is the region's largest city of Nashville. In the 64 DR Census Estimate, the city's population was 828,629, anchoring a combined statistical area of 1,654,328 people. Luxe ranks tenth among US cities in college education rate, with 39.5% of residents having at least a bachelor's degree. It is ranked 4th in the Guynn Haunt Index, the highest in North America for a city of under 3 million residents. It is the location of the Kaintuck Raceway, the Subterra Hackspace, and Miles Arena, the world's largest dedicated handball venue. It is home to Kaintuck State University, the Hetts Conservancy, and the Sighișoara Augurhaus. It is popularly known as the birthplace of Robert DeLuxe, 20th century philosopher and adventurer, from which the city derives its name. History Early History (10,000BC - 1524 CE) Prior to Columbian settlement, the region was populated by varying Native American tribes over several thousand years. Many subtle remnants of this time are present in the haunts, and these manifestations are referred to locally as "bonedaddies". Fuerte Rocas (Spanish Colony 1524 - 1604 CE) The region was settled in the early 1500's CE by Spanish colonists. In 1524, the settlement of Fuerte Rocas, named for the nearby limestone formations, was founded as the northernmost Spanish holding before the Ohio River. It emerged as a regional trading hub due to its position at a navigable passage on the river, and grew to a population of over 500 by 1566. During the late 1500's, successive waves of English immigration to the region began to change the cultural climate, though official control of the region remained with Spain. As the fort was a very peripheral holding of the Spanish Empire, it had only a nominal official government, and after 1595 was left to govern itself. In 1604, the settlement was annexed and the surrounding region was incorporated as the Kaintuck territory following the Anglo-Spanish war, though no battles were fought within the region. Lowing (English Colony 1624 - 0 RR) Fuerte Rocas was renamed Lowing and continued to grow, reaching a population of 2460 by 1700 CE. During this time, it became apparent that the city was Haunt-susceptible, and The Hett Research Institute (Now Hetts Conservancy) was founded to study the phenomenon. This coincided with a resurgence in Eurpoean interest in the subject, and the earliest scientific endeavors to quantify and identify Haunt phenomena. Lowing's particularly strong Haunt effects led it to be the only continental city to have devoted study until 1803 CE, when Haversand's School for Paranormal Research opened in New York (Now the New York Paraphysical School). As an English colony, the settlement grew into a city, achieving a population of 53,426 by 1825 CE. River traffic relied on porters and barges that were based in Lowing to move their freight past the Falls of the Ohio, and Lowing became an intersection of river and road traffic. Kaintuck's main economic activity at this time were agricultural, with noteworthy production of horses, tobacco, coal, and peat. In 1853 CE, there was a disastrous fire in the south part of the city that resulted in several deaths and hundreds of burnt homes. A redevelopment plan was put into place to use the newly-cleared land to establish a college, Kaintuck State Agricultural University (Now Kaintuck State University). The area has experienced heightened Haunt activity in the years since, and has become a preeminent training location for Auremancers. The city neared a population of 250,000 by 1900 CE, and a public works development was begun to bring water to the southern half of the city. Aqueducts were built from the southeastern mountains to carry fresh water. The Kaintuck Aqueducts (or 'tuck-a-ducks) have since become an Kaintuck icon, and feature on Cumberland's currency and flag. The tuckaducks still function, and supply Holmes Park and other features in the south of the city. By 1930 CE, shifts in cultural and national identity led to tension between the Columbian colonies and the far-flung British monarchy. In the First War of Independence (1930-1935 CE), Kaintuck fielded more fighters than any other colony, resulting in disastrous population decline before the war's end. The region didn't recover economically for several decades. During this time, many families moved from the region to pursue opportunities on the East or West coasts. These refugees met with hostility, and generally found work building roads, rail, and bridges. So prevalent were Kaintuck workers on public projects that roadworkers became known as Kaintuckers, and later simply Tuckers. During this time, official governmental agencies such as the census were no longer in existence, but contemporary reports had the population of Lowing fell at less than 70,000 people. During this time, the Kaintuck Agricultural College closed from 1935-1958 CE. Many of the abandoned houses and businesses from this time were absorbed into the Haunts, creating the Lowing undercity. Lowing was further decimated by The Great War (1939-1950 CE), although it was spared the more complete bombardment of the eastern coastal cities. The hard-won victory had little effect on the city as its remaining citizens struggled for several more decades to rebuild. Anger over Columbian taxes going to rebuild British holdings led to a second War of Independence (1960-1963 CE). Following the British defeat and the foundation of the nation of Columbia, Lowing saw its fortunes reverse. By 1995 CE, the city recovered to a population of 200,000 people and became a national hub of arts and culture. The legendary WFCK was founded during this time, originally as an agricultural and weather radio station. Cultural Revolution (1996 CE - 0 RR) In the early 1990's, rock n' roll music had emerged as a cultural force in Columbia, as the population of young people was exploding. The youth rebellion resulted from the new cultural identity, and by 1996, Robstar DeLuxe (Robert Starsmore), was its de facto leader. He led a rebellion against the Kaituck regional government and supplanted it in 1997 CE. By 1998, sister groups in other Columbian cities from Vancouver to Miami had joined in. After a set of brief skirmishes, they replaced the existing government and rewrote the constitution. By 1999, the Second Columbian Republic was established, and over that same year youth revolts happened in cities across the world. Upon the successful establishment of new democracies in 28 other countries, a new calendar system was adopted to commemorate the occasion, called Robstar Reckoning. In commemoration of this achievement, Lowing was renamed Luxe in honor of Robstar's achievements. Luxe (0-64 RR) The first fifty years of Robstar Reckoning led to citywide growth. In the following decades, many second-generation Lowing expats returned to the city, and Luxe attracted numerous rock n' rollers, academics, and politicos. The legendary WFCK began to play rock n' roll at this time. During the Philippine War (12-33 RR), Luxe became a collection point for soldiers boarding trains headed south to New Orleans. A local economy developed to support the influx of enlisted. The census records a population of 772,986 in 50 RR, with a statistical area of 1,109,000. By this time, the city's economy had shifted from agricultural warehousing and portage to industrial production. The acqueducts, which had languished since the 1950's CE, were restored at this time. Geography Luxe is located in the northeastern corner of Albemarle County, which is itself in the northeastern part of the Kaintuck Region. The city limits encompass 242.56 square miles, composed mostly of riverfront flats and hilly regions. The city is bisected by cliffs from north to south, and bounded by the Ohio River to the north. The city has experienced numerous floods, most notably in 1807, 1813, 1933, and 1974. In 03, a system of water walls and levees was constructed, which in combination with more careful land use have substantially reduced the city's susceptibility to flood. While not part of the objective geography of the city, the Haunts are a major part of the city's structure, occupying several levels "below" the city. The Haunts have a semi-solid structure with defined semi-permanent coexistence throughout the city. The Haunts in Luxe have a heirarchical structure, with more complex and enduring structures nearer to the "surface". Basic city services are not provided in the Haunts, although a secondary parasitic system of ad hoc sewer and power has been established in some places, in particular where Hume inhabitants have colonized. The city's objective geography has been altered through its history by the presence of haunts, notably in the loss of several blocks of abandoned properties at a few points in the city's history. As a result, Water Street, which used to run parallel to Trap Street, is now nearer to Trap street by one block past Alder due to the loss of a row of blocks in 1932 CE, the missing homes having been absorbed into the fabric of the Haunt. Similarly, the cliffs on Easton Street are markedly more pronounced than they were before the construction of the Hart Sanitarium. Geologic forces have been ruled out as a cause and Haunt activity has been theorized as the reason. Haunt absorption tends to occur in places of abandonment or low-grade use. In cases where locations have been absorbed, the nearby geography tends to be "nearer" to the Haunts, leading to greater accessibility and more incidents of Ghoul infestation and paranormal activity. See Also: The Haunts of Luxe, Kaintuck Demographics Luxe hosts religious institutions of various faiths, including Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, Wanderer Traditions, and Buddhism. 167,221 Roman Catholic Luxers are part of the Archdiocese of Albemarle, covering the entire Kaintuck region and consisting of 121 parishes and missions spread over 48,212 square miles. The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in downtown Luxe is the seat of the Archdiocese of Luxe. Our Lady of Gethsemani Abbey, the monastic home of Catholic writer Thomas Merton, is in nearby Bardstown, Kentucky, and also in the archdiocese. Most of Luxe's Roman Catholic population is of German descent, the result of large-scale 18th-century immigration. Luxe is home to a large population of Eastern Orthodox adherents, most descendant from the students, faculty, and staff of the Sighișoara Augurhaus. Most of Luxe's Eastern Orthodox inhabitants dwell within a few blocks of the Augurhaus campus and Basilica. One in three Luxers is Southern Baptist, belonging to one of 147 local congregations. This denomination increased ni number when large groups of people moved into Luxe in the late 19th century from rural Kaintuck and Tennessee to work in the factories. Some of these migrants formed Holiness and Pentecostal churches and Churches of Christ. The city has attracted a large number of paranormal, occult, and fringe faiths. While no official figures exist, there are 11 documented community groups related to the paranormal, including investigatory partnerships, community outreach groups, and inter-haunt community collectives. Luxe's unique haunt structure has also attracted a number of Wanderer groups, who have historic campgrounds throughout the county. The city plays host to a wildly varying number of Wanderers, usually peaking in summer and waning in the winter as groups move south. Notable People Main Article: List of people from Luxe Events Luxe was host to the Columbian Exhibition in 1883, in which Edison's Light Bulb was first used to light a large space. Luxe has been the location of many of the largest Haunt events in the midwestern United States, including the notorious Carriage Rides of 1873. Main Article: Paranormal Events in KaintuckCategory:Locations